LeeH31 wrote: »

@biketheworld it's funny how everyone looks at things differently. You find it easy to use the tracker on here; I find it frustrating. The nutrition database is so unreliable and I find I waste more time sifting out decent entries than it takes to just look it up and write it down! I wish there was an option to simply list one's macros for the day and be done with it.

Then again, I also like to scrub my dishcloths and cleaning cloths on a washboard and line dry my clothes!

@LeeH31 Ive never used MFP’s tracking for what I eat - for the reasons you mention.

At first I used NOOM - Easiest & most intuitive tracking system EVER. After transplant, I switched to MyNetDiary - all entries are vetted. You can customize which nutrients you want to track.

Pass day #2 😬
I really set myself up to fail by not eating enough after my morning run, and I was just over hungry for the rest of the day. The chips a hoy got me and I don’t even like chips a hoy. 🤦🏻‍♀️ I need to start setting expectations with my family that my run time includes breakfast time after it so I’m not immediately going into child care mode when I return and not getting proper fuel to recharge.

In other news, it was 65 out today during my run and it felt much, much better than it’s been feeling at 85. So happy for the cooler weather.

Pretty run.
I’m finding myself in a defeated mindset this month which I don’t normally find myself and I don’t like it much. There is a lot going on in September with family birthdays and my first overnight work travel since COVID started. I find myself saying “well there’s no way you’re going to be under 3 pass days in September, why try”. Past few months I’ve had good intentions and one thing after another has left me over 3 like every month since April. I had always wanted to hit my goal weight within two years and that’s passed. My weight has stayed the same for like 6 months. I’m just… Meh. I need a motivation reset. Or maybe a carat or two to dangle I front of my face on a stick as motivation 🤔 (see what I did there? 😂🥕💍). The NYS Ren Faire is happening and my favorite jeweler is there. Maybe I need to buy the ring I want, come home and give it hubs with the instructions that I don’t get it back until I lose 15lbs. Knowing it’s in the house and I can’t have it will really annoy me. I find being annoyed very motivating. Hey look at that, I think I have a plan. 🤔



❤️M

I really stink posting here. I keep forgetting.
Yesterday was a good day, today not so much.
When I know I’ve eaten too much, I avoid tracking. When I need it the most, ya know.
Tomorrow is a new day.
Good night everyone

Did I exercise for at least 20 minutes? ✅
Did I stay within my calorie budget for the day? ✅
Did I keep track of everything I ate and drank? ✅

Yes to all 3

Pass days: 0/3

Freggie report:

I just started the challenge today, so hoping I am doing this right. Taking a pass on the last 3 days.

Today Sept 4th
Exercised- Yes- walked 30 min and rode my horse 30 minutes.
Tracked- Yes
Stayed under calorie budget-yes

Did I exercise for at least 20 minutes? ✅ Had a wide variety of exercise today... formally walked 97 minutes and also went on another walk with a friend that was lots of starts and stops so I didn't track it but it definitely added to the steps. Also went out with my husband for 30 minutes and played a combo of catch and then Frisbee.
Did I stay within my calorie budget for the day? ✅
Did I keep track of everything I ate and drank? ✅

I enjoy tracking my food because it gives me freedom. I'm sure that could seem counterintuitive, but without food tracking, I lose all semblance of control. My default is to eat a massive amount of food. If I track, I don't have to think about it much... I have a budget, that's it. My thinking is pretty black and white about it. I know what the outcome will be if I'm not... and I'm sick of living that way.

I know Half Size Me is very adamant we shouldn't do anything we're doing to lose weight if we're not prepared to do it in maintenance. While I've never maintained, I think that will be true for me. I imagine I'll always have to track, and I'm okay with that. I like the way life is now, and I'll try to be grateful for the fact I found my way with this!

Tracking consistently does bring good results. Unfortunately I don't tend to track consistently. That's why I decided to join UAC this month, to get in the habit of tracking on a regular basis. So far 4 days in a row tracking, yay! 😀

Yes, yes, and yes. Exercise today was running 3 miles.🏃‍♀️

Babs

@MadisonMolly2017 great to know, thanks. Can I get sum clarification wen I go to nutrition part of mfp it has sugar goals set at 45g and sodium is set at 2300mg. So my question is are u aiming for 100g of sugar instead of 45g and 1800 for sodium instead of 2300? If so that wld be heaps better 4 me as I'm finding it hard to fit in much friut at 45g. Alto I must admit I am having a little refined sugars treat every night. Atm I am just focusing on the sugar part then next month im hoping to monitor salt as well. [/quote]

Hi Donna aka @donna25trinity!

SODIUM
“ The American Heart Association recommends no more than 2,300 milligrams (mg) a day and moving toward an ideal limit of no more than 1,500 mg per day for most adults.”

The Canadian recommendations are stricter:


“Articles in this release > Sodium
Canadians consume a large amount of sodium. Although some sodium is needed to control blood volume and to help cells function properly,1 most Canadians consume far more than is necessary, or recommended. Results from the 2004 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS — Nutrition (see Data source) indicate that, among people aged 19 to 70, over 85% of men and 60% of women had sodium intakes exceeding the recommended upper limit beyond which health risks increase (Table 1).

Most sodium is consumed as sodium chloride, usually called “table salt.” In fact, a US study has estimated that 90% of sodium intake comes from sodium chloride.2 Processed foods are the main source, accounting for 77% of average daily sodium intake. Another 12% occurs naturally in foods, and salt added during cooking (6%) or at the table (5%) makes up the remainder.2

Recommended sodium intake
Dietary recall
All ages exceed recommended levels
Salt and more salt
Risk of hypertension
Provincial differences
Slightly below US intake

Recommended sodium intake

The Institute of Medicine (IOM)1 recommends the following “adequate intakes,” or AIs, per day:

1,000 milligrams (mg) for children aged 1 to 3
1,200 mg for children aged 4 to 8
1,500 mg for people aged 9 to 50
1,300 mg for adults aged 51 to 70
1,200 mg for seniors over 70 years of age.
The IOM has also established a “tolerable upper intake level,” or UL (see Definitions and Limitations), which ranges from 1,500 mg to 2,200 mg of sodium per day for children and adolescents aged 1 to 13, up to 2,300 mg per day for people aged 14 or older. Consumption exceeding these limits increases the risks of adverse health effects, especially those linked to hypertension.1

Note: they also say not to go over 2,300 mg per day (for adults).

🌸—> I have low blood pressure, so I average 1,800-2000mg per day over each year.
In 2018, my average sodium was 1,444 as I was working to keep it under 1,500.
🌸in the past 7 days, my sodium average has been: 1,497. Down 600 from the previous week.🎉


Fruits & Sugar
I eat a little 82% dark chocolate each day - about 6 grams of sugar. Most of my sugars come from apples (40 g most days) & nonfat milk (13-26 grams per day.) Some dates & raisins have been driving up my sugars, so I’m not replacing them when the containers are empty.

The recommendation I saw for sugars from the UK’s NHS:
“Eating too much sugar can make you gain weight and can also cause tooth decay.

The type of sugars most adults and children in the UK eat too much of are "free sugars".

These are:

Any sugars added to food or drinks. These include sugars in biscuits, chocolate, flavoured yoghurts, breakfast cereals and fizzy drinks. These sugars may be added at home, or by a chef or other food manufacturer.

Sugars in honey, syrups (such as maple, agave and golden), nectars (such as blossom), and unsweetened fruit juices, vegetable juices and smoothies. The sugars in these foods occur naturally but still count as free sugars.

Sugar found naturally in milk, fruit and vegetables does not count as free sugars.❣️❣️

We do not need to cut down on these sugars, but remember that they are included in the "total sugar" figure found on food labels.

How much sugar can we eat?

The government recommends that free sugars – sugars added to food or drinks, and sugars found naturally in honey, syrups, and unsweetened fruit and vegetable juices, smoothies and purées – should not make up more than 5% of the energy (calories) you get from food and drink each day.

This means:

Adults should have no more than 30g of free sugars a day, (roughly equivalent to 7 sugar cubes).”

🌸I eat about 2,100 calories a day.
NHS is saying 5% of calories about 26 grams of “free sugars” per day for me.
US says 10% of calories 52 grams

I think I’m averaging about 6g - 18 g + dates now.

But when I was going nuts with Graham crackers (all tracked!) that number went up to 7 times that & so did my appetite lol I was also eating many more dates.

Another day I found I had a shocking sugars number due to a lot of dates spread throughout the day. Clearly my sweet tooth was activated.

So, to answer your question..
You want to have fewer than 5-10% of your calories coming from “free sugars” and you probably know a gram of sugar is 4 calories, so it’s easy to calculate the grams you can have per day.

I’m not familiar with MFP’s algorithms as I use My Net Diary. They recommended <25% of daily calories from all sugars. 131 grams for me.
They recommended < 10% of daily calories from added sugars. Or 52 grams for me.



So here’s why I track…I’ve kept ALL sugars under 100 for a few years, but look…NOT the past 3 months…

Thus, the issues with my appetite the past few months. And my weight. And actually I’ve been a bit more tired & “creaky.”

Thank you! I see clearly now what I need to change

I hope this helped!

Best,
Maddie